This clinical trial was a phase I trial that studied the safety of a commercial preparation that contains hydroxycitrate (HCA). The effect of an escalating dose of HCA on human subjects was studied in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The study population was healthy but obese man and women older than 21 years recruited from the Johns Hopkins and Baltimore communities. We selected 24 healthy but obese man and women between the ages of 21 and 65 with body mass index (BMI) greater than 28, where BMI-weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in metals, or BMI=weight /height-square (kg,mequare). During the screening visit, subjects were informed about HCA and the risks and benefits of the trial. Subjects signed an informed consent form. Subjects were examined and blood and urine was collected for analysis. Subjects were excluded if they had a history of serious diseases, or any laboratory abnormalities during the screening visit.